{"id":217770,"date":"2026-03-24T07:40:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T07:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/217770\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T07:40:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T07:40:18","slug":"atlanta-houston-airports-among-those-hardest-hit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/217770\/","title":{"rendered":"Atlanta, Houston Airports Among Those Hardest Hit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Topline<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Multiple airports around the U.S. were overwhelmed with extensive security wait times Monday, continuing to feel the pressure from a Transportation Security Administration staffing shortage that began receiving <a class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/trump-says-no-masks-ice-132545162.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:crowd control support;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;crowd control support&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">crowd control support<\/a> from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, which appeared to do little to quell the growing problem.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Long lines form outside Atlanta International Airport\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eba57280a4ca1276d044e5835f55e030.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Travelers are seen standing in long lines outside of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.<\/p>\n<p>Photo by Nathan Posner\/Anadolu via Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Houston\u2019s George Bush Intercontinental Airport is experiencing wait times of 150 minutes and 200 minutes at its two open terminals, according to Houston Airport System <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.fly2houston.com\/iah\/security\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:data;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;data&quot;}\">data<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Passengers at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, who faced <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.fox8live.com\/2026\/03\/23\/travelers-stuck-long-lines-3-hour-security-wait-msy\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:three-hour wait times;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;three-hour wait times&quot;}\">three-hour wait times<\/a> Sunday that sent queues into a parking structure, were warned of high wait times again Monday, with officials telling <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.wdsu.com\/article\/ice-agents-seen-at-msy-as-travel-troubles-plague-airport\/70815687\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:WDSU-TV;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;WDSU-TV&quot;}\">WDSU-TV<\/a> for passengers to arrive at least three hours ahead of their scheduled departure time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which experienced wait times in excess of an hour on Friday, removed wait time data from its website Monday, advising passengers to allow four hours or more for security screenings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">John F. Kennedy International Airport also suspended <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.jfkairport.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:wait time reporting;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;wait time reporting&quot;}\">wait time reporting<\/a> Monday, saying wait times are subject to change rapidly and \u201cmay be significantly longer than normal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Security wait times at gates one through 59 at Orlando International Airport reached over 40 minutes shortly after 12:30 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Security wait times were not available on Newark Liberty Airport\u2019s website hours after a brief <a class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/nyc-airport-chaos-newark-issues-130851157.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:ground stop;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;ground stop&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ground stop<\/a> was ordered in response to a burning smell coming from the elevator of an air traffic control tower, which was evacuated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Newark Liberty recorded 119 departure delays and 104 arrival delays as of Monday afternoon, according to <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.flightaware.com\/live\/cancelled\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:FlightAware;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;FlightAware&quot;}\">FlightAware<\/a> data.<\/p>\n<p>Tangent<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">New York\u2019s LaGuardia Airport was completely shut down Sunday night and Monday morning after a <a class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/air-canada-jet-collides-ground-062256061.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:collision;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;collision&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">collision<\/a> between an Air Canada Express aircraft and a firefighting vehicle killed two people and injured others. Audio from the air traffic control tower at the airport suggested a controller <a class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/air-canada-jet-collides-ground-062256061.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:may have been distracted;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;may have been distracted&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">may have been distracted<\/a> at the time of the crash.<\/p>\n<p>Big Number<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">More than 400. That is how many TSA agents have resigned since the partial government shutdown that left them without pay began, according to <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/400-tsa-officers-quit-shutdown-rcna264581\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:multiple;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;multiple&quot;}\">multiple<\/a> <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/live-news\/tsa-wait-times-ice-airports-03-23-26?post-id=cmn3eeqxq00003b6re1fibrev\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:reports;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;reports&quot;}\">reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Key Background<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Callouts have become increasingly common from TSA agents who continue working without pay amid the shutdown. Call out rates surged to 11.7% on Sunday, the highest rate of the shutdown, with 3,450 agents absent from work, DHS official Lauren Bis told <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/live-news\/tsa-wait-times-ice-airports-03-23-26?post-id=cmn3eeqxq00003b6re1fibrev\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:CNN;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;CNN&quot;}\">CNN<\/a>, which reported the highest call out rates came from Baltimore\/Washington International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. A TSA agent told Forbes last week that officers were \u201cat their breaking point\u201d after missing paychecks the weekend prior. ICE agents were deployed to over a dozen airports Monday for crowd control at security checkpoints, with border czar Tom Homan saying Sunday he was not sure if the agents would help with \u201cspecialized\u201d TSA duties like X-ray screenings.<\/p>\n<p>Further Reading<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/nyc-airport-chaos-newark-issues-130851157.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:NYC Airport Chaos: Over 100 Flights Delayed After Fatal Crash At LaGuardia, Newark Stoppage;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;NYC Airport Chaos&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NYC Airport Chaos: Over 100 Flights Delayed After Fatal Crash At LaGuardia, Newark Stoppage<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/air-canada-jet-collides-ground-062256061.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Tower Audio Suggests LaGuardia Controller May Have Been Distracted Before Air Canada Jet Hit Fire Truck, Report Says;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Tower Audio Suggests LaGuardia Controller May Have Been Distracted Before Air Canada Jet Hit Fire Truck, Report Says&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tower Audio Suggests LaGuardia Controller May Have Been Distracted Before Air Canada Jet Hit Fire Truck, Report Says<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Topline Multiple airports around the U.S. were overwhelmed with extensive security wait times Monday, continuing to feel the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":217771,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[84927,84926,6832,56,5417,58,57,3647,66032,84928,84925,25918,4093],"class_list":["post-217770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-atlanta-international","tag-atlanta-international-airport","tag-george-bush-intercontinental-airport","tag-houston","tag-houston-airport-system","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news","tag-immigration-and-customs-enforcement","tag-john-f-kennedy-international-airport","tag-laguardia-airport","tag-louis-armstrong-new-orleans-international-airport","tag-orlando-international-airport","tag-transportation-security-administration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217770"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217770\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/217771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}